Traditional Dresses of Pakistan

Dress is the identity of any nation. It is the thing which tells you the nationality of a person without even asking. Every country has its own traditional dress. So is the case with Pakistan. Our traditional dress is the shalwar kameez. This is good for all men, women and children of Pakistan. It is worn and is equally popular in all the provinces, cities and villages of Pakistan. The shalwar kameez holds equal importance in both ceremonial wear and casual wear. Pakistani women like to dress up in shalwar kameez most of the time and also during different ceremonies. Same holds true for men and children of the country.
Shalwar is like a loose pajama and is similar to the trousers. It is wide near the thighs and the waist. Near the bottom it is tapering. The kameez is a shirt and the seams of the shirt are kept open. The seams are open normally below waist line. This dress gives you great freedom of movement and is also very easy and simple to wear.
Then another important dress is the achkan. It has been the dress of nobles for long and is now worn extensively in Pakistan on different occasions, mostly ceremonial. It can be referred to as a long jacket. The jacket reaches the knees and there are buttons in the front of the jacket. In some cases it may even go lower than the knees. It also has long sleeves. This dress has been long associated with aristocracy. It is now worn by most desert dwellers in Pakistan.
Kurta is also an important traditional dress item in Pakistan. It is similar to a shirt but is quite loose in fitting. The length of the kurta goes up to the knees of the wearer. It can be worn with either jeans or a shalwar. The Kurta is also worn by women in many western countries. In Pakistan, kurta holds importance amongst both men and women. Different materials can be used to make a kurta and normally it is up to the wishes of the user that what style and material one wants to be used in one’s kurta. Men also love to wear waist coats with the kurta and also with shalwar kameez. It gives a very tidy look to the dress.
The Pakistani culture is very rich as far as clothing is concerned. These clothes are famous not only in Pakistan but also in Afghanistan, India and Bangladesh.